Austin-based duo Twigs & Yarn’s debut album on flau caught me by surprise when it came out in 2012. Its glitchy plunderphonic folk-pop sounded fresh and resonant, and non-album single “Yuurei” was even dreamier. Their second album is a limited CD-r release on Eilean Rec. and is a bit closer to pure ambient than their debut, but there’s still plenty of subtle field recordings interwoven with fragile electronically-enhanced folk songs. “In The Valley” is just super lovely. Some of the songs are loopy and rhythmic, and others get swept away into a lush, richly vegetated environment. Really incredible, I recommend this duo highly. The album’s sold out physically but it’s still available digitally on Bandcamp.

Debut full-length from a Portland-based artist who has spend time in the Chicago jazz scene and has produced this impressive spacey electronic jazz album. Really fluid and abstract yet tightly controlled. Belongs in the same conversation as Dave Douglas’ recent collaboration with Shigeto or Justin Walter’s album on Kranky, or any of the jazzier excursions affiliated with Brainfeeder and the like. It clearly sounds like jazz, and can be enjoyed by open-minded jazz listeners of old, but it has a modern sensibility and adventurous production, and isn’t afraid to have glitchy electronics (such as “No End”) or hip-hop-influenced rhythms. The title track is the only one with vocals, which are kind of slowed and dirgey. Otherwise, it’s a really intriguing set of instrumental post-jazz explorations. Available on Bandcamp.

No clue about this movie at all, but this soundtrack CD has some decent lo-fi rock, handmade pop, and cinematic indie. Hypocrite in a Hippy Crypt’s “The Town Crazies” is gentle, optimistic drum machine pop. The Hardy Tree’s “Around the Steeple” is more post-rock/contemporary classical, with spare layers of violin, acoustic guitars, pianos, electronics, and vocals. The Underground Youth’s tracks are dark solo goth rock. Del Mas Alla’s “Dreams” is hissy, sloppy, atmospheric lo-fi dream pop with alternately serene and noisy guitars and flat smashy drums. Ubi Escalona’s “We’re All Waiting For Something” is a pretty organ instrumental with a soft chiming melody. “Long Gone” by The Hardy Tree is a pretty waltz-time song that feels like tiptoeing through a mystical forest. Of the 3 Xray Eyeballs songs, “Broken Beds” is faster and thrashier and more fun. “Flying With the Swallows” by Ubi Escalona is a haunting instrumental with reversed melodies and birds chirping. Del Mas Alla’s “Our Times” is sloppy Oh Sees-like garage rock. Home Blitz’s “Perpetual Night” is tight Wire-like post-punk pop which ends with a brief “Stairway to Heaven” quote. Likewise, The Underground Youth’s “Crash (BSA Jam)” is slow solo boogie-rock which dips into “Sympathy For The Devil” a bit.

Noise Camp was inside the MOCAD this year instead of outside at the Mobile Homestead because it rained a little bit. Even though there wasn’t a campfire it was still one of the most chaotic Noise Camps yet!

setting up

setting up

setting up

setting up

this year’s program

this year’s program

this year’s program

Dawn of the Devil (Warren Defever)

Dawn of the Devil (Warren Defever)

Warren throwing cymbals around

Dawn of the Devil (Warren Defever)

repurposed Noise Camp/Time Stereo/HNIA shirts

nurses

witch crafts table

bear behind a bush

very much looking forward to this show

Warren and Davin with a megaphone

camp haircuts (free)

Crim

Crim

Haunted

Cauldron Borne setting up w/ Warren talking through a megaphone

Cauldron Borne (Tyler Hicks and Knox Mitchell) in place of Andrew Coltrane who fell off his motorcycle